Star Jr.beatVirusin a lightning match
(7:15 seen, finish not shown, ok, 01:01:23)
El Hijo del Villano III, Máscara Año 2000, Vangellys beat Flyer, Fuego, Stuka Jr.
(11:29 [5:12, 2:23, 3:54], 1/3, n/r, 01:11:08)
Ephesto, Gran Guerrero, Mephisto beat Ángel de Oro, Niebla Roja, Valiente
(10:39 [4:36, 6:03], 1/2, ok, 01:34:59)
What happened:
Gran Guerrero pulled off Valiente’s mask and pinned him to get the two fall win for the rudos.
Angelito & Pequeno Olimpico mildly feuded at the start of their match, but the issue from last week was dropped.
Thoughts:
Drone
The main event was only interested to see if Valiente would do his tope again a week later. He never got a chance, the match just didn’t go that way. It didn’t go much at all, with no one trying that hard. Niebla Roja’s toss into a kick looks really bad without good effort, and he made no effort with the kick here. Gran Guerrero/Valiente is a rare feud without a singles match. It’s not two guys I’m eager to see but at least it’s a sign CMLL can still do those – assuming it goes somewhere.
Star Jr. had some ideas in the lightning match, which made it more fun than usual. I’m not sure the dropkick landing on the apron made it more effective but I bet that landing is easier than the floor. The set up to the superman punch in the ring was a little forced, but it was cool to see a guy use this set up to try new concepts instead of just running through the usual ones. Virus was motivated too and it was going along good until it got cut off about 25 seconds before the finish.
Forastero fouled Ultimo Guerrero, setting up a rematch next week. Okumura beat Stigma to set up their own singles match.
Thoughts:
a nice suplex
Volador’s title match broke from his usual big match in subtle ways. Both he and Templario were allowed to string multiple moves together on offense (though every move had to be followed by a pinfall, as always.) Templario got to break out different offense than usual for him or for Volador opponents. Volador won with a move he doesn’t normally win with. It was enough to carry it to an enjoyable match though not one I’d need to see twice. Templario did show he could go at the Volador level, though it didn’t feel like the crowd was prepared to see him as a top guy.
The last bit of this semi-main is the Guerreros setting up to the Catapulta Dinamita right back to them. The problem is Ultimo Guerrero is standing directly between his partners and the impact; there’s no way the move could ever be done unless he was the one getting hit. Ultimo Guerrero is standing there to make it easy for Forastero to foul him, but it makes no sense and there’s no thought put into it. That sums up the match too. NGD break out of their rut to do a little brawling either, but then it’s one team demoing some of their moves, and the other team doing the same, and a finish. This was going through the motions badly.
Dark Magic forgot what he was doing at the end of the second fall, the match fell off the rails, and only Fuego saved it. The rest of the match was not much, Stigma doesn’t seem as over as his push and he’s not got a good opponent this time.
This is so far behind that you can actually watch some of the AAA matches without Twitch. Not the best one though. I wonder if Hiedra still gets to be in the title match or if they go with Taurus since he’ll be around then. This trios title match was good with just Rey Escorpion and Chessman and Averno, so maybe the returning AAA format should just be non-stop Jinete del Aire.
CMLL had a lot of tournaments. Few of the matches were good. Rey Cometa continues to be good.
Recommended Matches
rating
matches
TV Show
taped
great
Hijo Del Vikingo, Myzteziz Jr., Octagón Jr. vs Averno, Chessman, Rey Escorpión
AAA on Twitch: 2020-02-22
2020-02-22
good
Aramis, Máscarita Sagrada, Niño Hamburguesa vs Arez, Demus, Draztick Boy
Fuego, Joker, Stigma vs Dark Magic, Diamond, Okumurain a relevos increíbles match
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
not rated
Ephesto & Soberano Jr. vs Último Guerrero, Cuatrero, Niebla Roja, Universo 2000 Jr., Felino, Drone [torneo de parejas familiares] and in a battle royal match
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
not rated
Ángel de Oro & Niebla Roja vs Felino & Negro Casas [torneo de parejas familiares] and in a tournament quarterfinal match
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
not rated
Felino & Negro Casas vs Cuatrero & Sansón [torneo de parejas familiares] and in a tournament semifinal match
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
not rated
Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero vs Euforia & Soberano Jr. [torneo de parejas familiares] and in a tournament semifinal match
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
not rated
Cuatrero & Sansón vs Gran Guerrero & Último Guerrero [torneo de parejas familiares] and in a tournament final match
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-24
2020-02-24
not rated
Angelito & Kaligua vs Pequeño Olímpico & Pequeño Violencia
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-25
2020-02-25
not rated
Magia Blanca, Oro Jr., Sangre Imperial vs Disturbio, Hijo del Signo, Nitro
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-25
2020-02-25
not rated
Blue Panther, Kráneo, Volcano vs Mephisto, Rey Bucanero, Shocker
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-25
2020-02-25
not rated
Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero vs Atlantis Jr., Stuka Jr., Valiente
CMLL YouTube: 2020-02-25
2020-02-25
not rated
Sagrado & Soberano Jr. vs Dulce Gardenia, Luciferno, Black Panther, Stigma, Hijo del Villano III, Disturbiofor the Mexican National Tag Team Championship and in a battle royal match
Volador Jr. vs Negro Casas
(CMLL @ 02/23, great, HVSLuchaLibre)
Negro Casas isn’t going to take top rope headscissors in 2020 (and why should he), so a Volador/Casas match can’t be Volador running through his usual big match. That’s definitely for the best. This becomes something where it is instead Negro Casas throwing all he can at Volador, and Volador just barely surviving. Casas does a great job of working over Volador’s leg early on. Volador sells it a lot more and a lot longer than expected; it becomes a handy reason not to do the usual Volador match while still flying a bit. Casas throws all the new big moves he’s adapted in the third fall, goes back to kicks to the head, but the story stays set that he just doesn’t have enough to beat Volador these days. Casas’ performance shows he actually can go with Volador even if that’s not the message of the match. There’s little Casas touches too, like pulling away the doctor checking on Volador’s knee to check Casas’ own back instead. This is great and different from the matches these two have with others.
an all time great
Titán vs Templarioin a lightning match
(CMLL @ 02/16, 10:00, great, HVSLuchaLibre)
This is the superior of the two matches. The action is not drastically different, but it slightly better in this match. It also just flows a lot better, with Templario going on a big run to set up Titan getting a comeback and less straight back and forth. This was one where being limited to ten minutes meant to have to rush through things to get to everything, and there’s room to improve in a full match. Titan is a nutcase for doing taking the crazy bump at the draw that didn’t affect the finish at all. That was enough for me to rate it higher, though just so. It is possible they mistimed something – that they did the double stomp sequence twice and it seems to be because they didn’t get it right the first time.
Templario throwing Titan, the barricade just happened to be there
Death Metal vs Black Dragón, hair vs hair
(IWRG @ 03/05, 17:08, good, Estrellas del Ring)
This is strong and violent work, but it’s also the CMLL style move turning taking the big match. They’re not going to bleed like this in Arena Mexico, but there’s similar no sense of momentum or moves meaning anything past the kickout they setup. Death Metal is OK, Black Dragon seemed like a guy IWRG was excited as a new prospect a few years ago and hasn’t ever really gotten better. This seems like a good match for them but not a standout one.
there were other good parts but this also had the blood
Drone vs Hechiceroin a lightning match
(CMLL @ 02/09, 7:03, good, HVSLuchaLibre)
The lightning match may have been enjoyable more by CMLL standards, but it was good for throwing everything at the wall. It’s still tough to get a read if Drone is just good at getting in a few exciting spots in a lightning match or would actually be impressive if fully unleashed now. He pretty much stuck to these trios spots, but they worked him in well. Hechicero didn’t get to go deep on settings up yet he did make his big stuff come off big. Hechicero’s springboard slip did hurt the flow of the match and he may want to limit the times he pulls down those straps nowadays.
Hechicero says no to that
Villano III Jr. vs Aéreo, mask vs mask
(AAA non-televised @ 03/01, 49:23, excellent +LuchaTV)
Villano III Jr. & Aereo pulled off the drama of a big-time mask match. It wasn’t without its flaws but the emotion of the moment makes it an easy pick for the first exceptional match of 2020. It’s close to an hour, including the post-match, and the length may put over some people. I was worried it was going to lose the crowd, yet they were into every near fall like it was life or death down the stretch. The wrestling held together too despite that length; Aereo looked more robotic early in the match than he did in the dying moments. Villano III was willing to destroy himself down to the last, and it’s Aereo’s dive to doom which really ended things. It definitely helped the finish play out better than it read; Escorpion cheats Aereo but it’s Aereo’s own fault for putting himself in that spot. The sound of the horrified crowd, who didn’t see the match ending coming at all at that moment, almost makes it worth it.
The second fall injury spot wasn’t really worth it, setting up nothing in particular. It also was followed by another long pause for obvious blading (maybe not obvious enough for the medics, who seemed to be checking on them as if they really were hurt.) The match struggled to pick up until into the third fall but had plenty of time to do it. The first fall technical wrestling was unexpectedly well done. It was a nice nod to the past to have Aereo win with an Atlantida and helpfully set up the near ending later on with the same move even for people who didn’t get it.
Villano III Jr. & Aereo fits along with Vengador & Kastigador from last year. Both were local mask matches with the crowd heavily invested into the outcome. This one hung together a little better and had better storytelling, but both had the level of emotion that’s rare outside of an epic mask match.
that is a durable garbage can
El Hijo Del Santo & Octagón vs Dr. Cerebro & Fuerza Guerrera
(LLB/GAW @ 02/02, 16:04, good, mluchatv)
I watched the +Lucha version but you’re best looking for one of the other uploads. The two cameras +LuchaTV use come out of sync late in the match. The match itself is enjoyable to see some classic Santo in 2020. He and Cerebro still work well together; if they’re really doing the apuesta rematch teased, it’s going to be must see. Santo is not the guy he was even last decade but there does still seem to be something left in the tank. (Not so much for Octagon. Not really for Fuerza either.)
Princesa Sugehit, Silueta, Stephanie VaquerbeatAmapola, La Infernal, La Metálica
(14:42 [8:10, 2:56, 3:36], 1/3, ok)
Hechicero, Luciferno, Rey Bucanero beatAudaz, Rey Cometa, Soberano Jr. (14:59 [6:44, 3:45, 4:30], 2/3, ok)
TitánbeatPólvorain a lightning match
(9:46, double stomp, good)
Atlantis Jr. & FlyerbeatHijo del Villano III & Templariofor the Mexican National Tag Team final
(23:19 [8:07, 2:16, 12:56], 1/3, ok)
Felino, Negro Casas, Volador Jr.beatCarístico, Cavernario, Diamante Azulin a relevos increíbles match
(9:08 [2:08, 7:00], 1/2, ok)
What happened:
the through the ropes to the apron spin always looks cool
Felino beat Cavernario in straight falls and said he’d win next week’s hair match.
Atlantis Jr. & Flyer won the national tag team championships in a tournament final.
Fans were given hand sanitizer upon entering the building (which seemed to be the case at all sporting events.) Attendees going in the garage entrance had their temperature checked as well. This did not appear to be the case for all the entrances.
Thoughts:
The main event was another quick match, with the only purpose of Felino getting the win to show he’s going to win next week (and telegraph he won’t.) They tried for the eight minutes they had, but it was just a few highspots and out. It had a lot of action and go where it needed to go quick.
The moment seemed too big for the four guys in the tag title match. Atlantis Jr. forgot to move out of the way of a partner hits teammate by mistake spot in the second fall (and somehow Villano III was the one who knew what to do.) Templario and Villano III did a weird set up for a Villano III dive. Flyer looked done with half the third fall left. They tried hard and the crowd got into it, but they also looked less impressive than most everyone in the two prior matches. Atlantis Jr. has enough big spots to impress and the first fall was solid mat work, but this title match felt like a reduction of CMLL big match standards.
Polvora knocked Titan out of the sky early in their match, and it set up a great comeback from a lower leg injury story. Too great, because it seemed like the doctor bought it as well and slowed down the match to check on him. Titan fought back, did some cool double stomps, and survived a Super Polvora Driver to win. He’s 2020 skill pickup is dramatic injury selling and he got it over with the crowd here again. Polvora worked with more aggression than in normal trios matches and they made the most out of it.
tiiiimber
Rey Bucanero nailed the frontcracker off Hechicero’s reverse monkey flip and not a lot else. He had trouble basing and got completely lost with Soberano at the end of the first fall of the tercera. It distracted from what was a hot match otherwise, with the crowd getting into the usual tecnico high spots. Hechicero tried to be a one-man guy keeping it together and Lucifierno was fine, but it didn’t totally come together.
Stephanie Vaquer tried a lot we don’t normally see in women’s match – she did the grab your heel escape from a hammerlock of all things – and stood out more impressively in that match that she had before. La Infernal stood out too, as she got badly lost in the third fall. The women’s match was otherwise nothing special though Sugehit did get a clean win leading into her title match.
Difunto & Principe Diamante got for Guadalajara wrestlers to be on a Friday Arena Mexico show. They seemed fired up for it, Daniel showing a lot of fire and Difunto trying to take big bumps. Difunto seemed more main roster ready (whatever that means at this point), and they both had stronger nights than the regular CMLL guys. Diamond doing Santo spots and messing up others is getting him nowhere.
Rey Cometa beat Tigerin a lightning match
(9:42, handspring Canadian Destroyer, good, 00:59:30)
Mephisto, Rey Bucanero, Shocker beat Blue Panther, Kráneo, Volcano
(12:03 [5:26, 2:34, 4:03], 1/3, n/r, 01:14:28)
Euforia, Gran Guerrero, Último Guerrero beat Atlantis Jr., Stuka Jr., Valiente
(12:38 [5:23, 1:35, 5:40], 1/3, n/r, 01:37:24)
What happened:
Valiente is knocked out on a match closing tope and doesn’t move as he’s put on the stretcher. It’s not clear on the original angle what happened, but a replay shown as the announcers are about the close the show reveals Valiente bounced off Euforia and struck the back of his head on the barricade.
The second fall of the opener included a Pequeno Violencia & Kaligula double pin, then Pequeno Olimpico pulled Angelito’s mask and cradled him for the unusual opening match straight fall win.
Thoughts:
The main event was a strong iteration of the usual send everyone home happy match, though it’s tough to recommend a match where someone gets straight knocked out. It’s unreal how Atlantis Jr. fits into these matches and sadly probably helpful to him that his father took time off rather than continuing to team with him and hold him back.
Cometa/Tiger didn’t bring a lot of new to the table and included some early stalling so they could get to nine minutes, but it finished strong. Cometa didn’t nail the handspring destroyer as well as had earlier yet it was still impressive. So were the near falls and back and forth in the last few minutes, this being a rare lightning match to really take advantage of the time situation to build drama and still give a finish. Tiger seems like he doesn’t have a lot of offense, but all a sudden showed a lot in minute eight of this nine-minute match.
There may be some Tuesday curve here, but the women’s match seemed noticeably better than usual. It was the opening stint with Dalys & Jarochita which stood out the most, with some long sequences and creativity. It felt like a break from the routine and held together during a long run. The match went more back to form the closer it got to the end but it’s still one to watch if you’re looking to watch a CMLL women’s match.
